Los Angeles, California Jan 20, 2026 (Issuewire.com) - Award-winning poet Vincent J. Tomeo releases a refreshingly uplifting collection of free verse poems in “The Usefulness of Hippopotamus: A Humorous Chapbook for Trying Times”, a book born from laughter in the face of pain. Tomeo, a cancer survivor, leaned on humor as his medicine while navigating the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic and personal illness. The result: a deeply human and delightfully strange collection of poems designed to soothe the spirit and tickle the mind.
In a recent IndieReader Review, Craig Jones praises Tomeo’s “droll and affecting” tone, calling the collection “a singularly fertile source of poetic inspiration.” The chapbook features nearly fifty pieces that explore death, aging, recovery, and resilience—always with a twist of wit. Poems like “Flight AA4114,” “Nuclear Medicine,” and “Cemetery Samba Roll” deliver playful wordplay and surprising emotional depth.
Known for his rich literary voice and creative flourishes, Tomeo blends real-world experiences with whimsical imagination. “It is what you write when you choose to laugh instead of weep,” Tomeo says. “I found peace and joy among the hippopotami.”
Vincent J. Tomeo, a poet, historian, and public speaker based in Queens, NY, has published over 1,000 poems and essays internationally. He is the author of My Cemetery Friends and was honored with the Rainer Maria Rilke International Poetry Award. His work has appeared in global venues from Italy to South Korea and is even etched in marble in Calabria, Italy.
“The Usefulness of Hippopotamus” is available in print and digital formats.
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